CONSULTANT EDITOR DAVID G. CHANDLER
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MILITARY
GETTYSBURG 183
HIGH TIDE OF
THE CONFEDERACYGETTYSBURG 1863
One of four Americans who had an ancestor fight in
the American Civil War had a relative at Gettysburg, a
small Pennsylvania crossroads where the Army of
Northern Virginia's move north was stopped by the
Army of the Potomac. For three days (July 1-3, 1863)
the struggle for control of the town which ultimately
decided the control of the nation raged
Names of these engagements are immortal: Seminary
Ridge, Cemetery Hill, Culp’s Hill, Devil's Den, Little
Round Top, and Pickett’s Charge. Here the last great
hope of independence for the South waned with Lee’s
defeat, creating a point in history called the high tide of
the Confederacy. This is that story.
I would like to thank Dee Anne Blanton of the National
Archives for making unit histories and reports available;
Peter Harrington of the Ann S.K. Brown Military
Collection for suggesting and sourcing photos; Scott
Hartwig at Gettysburg National Battlefield Park for his
helpful comments on the manuscript; John Busey for his
direction on how to arrive at a unit's strength when no
morning report exists; Bill Corsa for his support; lain
MacGregor for his fine contribution; Adam Hook for
his dynamic artwork; and Bill Gallop for his research
assistance in sifting through the mountains of records
to arrive at reasonable unit strengths at Gettysburg.
Finally I'd like to thank my parents for an interest in
history, and my wife Una for giving up those weekends
when I was surrounded by musty, dusty references.GETTYSBURG 1863
HIGH TIDE OF THE CONFEDERACY